Telugu & Kannada New Year 2026 - Samvatsara Plava. Date, Ugadi Pachadi and Panchang reading.
| Year | Ugadi Date | Day | Samvatsara (Hindu Year) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 09 Apr 2024 | Tue | Krodhi |
| 2025 | 30 Mar 2025 | Sun | Sarvari / Vikrama |
| 2026 | 19 Apr 2026 | Sun | Plava |
| 2027 | 08 Apr 2027 | Thu | Subhakrit |
| 2028 | 27 Mar 2028 | Mon | Sobhana |
| 2029 | 16 Apr 2029 | Mon | Krodhi (2nd) |
| 2030 | 06 Apr 2030 | Sat | Vishvavasu |
* Gudi Padwa (Maharashtra) falls on the same date as Ugadi. Baisakhi (Punjab) and Bihu (Assam) fall in mid-April on Mesha Sankranti.
Ugadi (from Sanskrit Yuga + Adi, meaning "beginning of a new age") marks the New Year for Telugu-speaking communities in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and for Kannada speakers in Karnataka. It falls on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada - the first day of the bright fortnight of the Chaitra month - typically in late March or early April. The same day is celebrated as Gudi Padwa in Maharashtra and Cheti Chand by Sindhi communities. Ugadi is a public holiday in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka.
A central ritual of Ugadi is Panchanga Sravanam - the public reading of the Hindu almanac for the coming year. Priests read predictions about rainfall, crop yields, and planetary influences for the new Samvatsara (60-year cycle year). Each Samvatsara has a unique Sanskrit name; 2025 brings Vikrama Samvatsara. The reading typically happens at sunrise, which is when the new tithi officially begins according to traditional reckoning.
Ugadi Pachadi is a unique ceremonial dish made with six ingredients representing six tastes: raw mango (sour), jaggery (sweet), neem flowers (bitter), tamarind (tangy), green chilli (spicy), and salt. The mixture symbolises the full spectrum of experiences in the coming year - joy, sorrow, surprise, and challenge. It is consumed first thing in the morning before any food.